From his promising debut at Ajax Amsterdam to his contrasting spell at PSV Eindhoven, Noa Lang has always been the center of attention. Raw talent, provocative in the game as in his declarations, the Dutch international (14 caps) divides as much as he fascinates. Announced very early on as a nugget of Dutch football, the 26-year-old player is still struggling to confirm the expectations placed on him, moving through clubs without really establishing himself over the long term.
Scrutinized by Olympique de Marseille last summer, the Dutch international (14 caps) finally opted for Serie A and joined Naples for 25 million euros. True to form, Lang praised his qualities as soon as he was presented to journalists. “ I am a player that we come to see at the stadium, that we like to watch » he affirmed. “ If I don't have the ball, people just sit there. But as soon as I have it, they get up to see me better. That's what being a good player is all about. »
Not the slightest tenure since his arrival
Statements which reinforced the disproportionate ego of the ex-Club Bruges player, quicker to put himself forward than to make a difference on the pitch. In Naples, his speech is not enough: Lang has still not found his place. In 78 minutes played since the start of the season, he has neither weighed nor convinced. Invisible in each of his appearances, the Dutchman seems far from the level demanded by Antonio Conte. His promises of “ dribbles, assists and goals » seem far away and his lackluster performances have not escaped observers. The father of Igor Paixão – recruited by OM after the failure of the Lang case – also took the liberty of teasing him on Instagram, by comparing his son's statistics in Marseille with those of the Dutchman in Serie A.
Last weekend, Noa Lang thought he had finally launched his season, on the pitch at Torino. Coming into play in the 63rd minute, he thought he would give Naples a draw in the final moments. The Dutchman then let his joy explode, taking off his jersey to the cheers of the Neapolitan turn… before suddenly falling back to earth: his goal was canceled for offside and the referee Matteo Marcenaro gave him a yellow card in the process. Back in Eindhoven (9 p.m.), this Tuesday in the Champions League, Lang will hope to definitively launch his Neapolitan adventure, which is currently heading towards failure.
